


Noxious Fingerprints and a Lying Tongue

by I_Otaku



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga, The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Fullmetal Alchemist AU, Gen, Graphic Description, Loss of Limbs, Mild Gore, Probably not gonna do any more but like I have an idea, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, read it and find out, uhhhhh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-24
Updated: 2019-03-30
Packaged: 2019-12-07 01:02:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18227813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_Otaku/pseuds/I_Otaku
Summary: Lucas Miller is very, very selfish. And usually that isn't a terrible thing. But when his need overcomes his rationality, his decency, his humanity, it's a very terrible thing.





	1. Chapter 1

Lucas Miller passed the state alchemist exam when he was nineteen. He could do so much better. His mother, a state alchemist and graduate alchemist in the practical and academic science division was beaming with pride. Lucas knew she was disappointed. He should have passed younger, he should be smarter, be stronger. If he was better, she would be around more, she wouldn’t be stressed. She wouldn’t be sick all the time. He wore his uniform with bitter pride, conducted experiments under the graduate alchemists and shined. But never bright enough. He could do better. Be better. He had guidance, he had talent, he had a future. He found new properties, he studied and conducted tests on the less public aspects of the state’s interests. He felt the stress settle on his shoulders. He saw the lines beneath his eyes, the default face a frown, the squint in the sunlight, all traits of his mother he had despised so long ago. 

Do more, be more, take some of the pressure off. He worked himself to death, late nights and early morning. His mother only grew worse in her own works. When she was discharged Lucas was heartbroken, he became the breadwinner and fought not only to be part of his division but be on call for the fuhrer just as his mother had been. His alchemy was incredible, but never incredible enough. Others were built for combat, transmutation of weapons and air, vicious battles in the training fields Lucas could see from one of the windows. His alchemy was less concrete, bending energy and the states of being. It was complex and  a messy maze but he could traverse it fast. Just not fast enough. His mother still spoke highly of him, cupping his cheek and cleaning his glasses from her bed. 

Lucas was studying the properties of alchemical enchantments when a second lieutenant burst through the door to his lab, news of an urgent call for him. He ran through the rain, heaving breaths as he stormed up the front steps of his house. He found his mother in her bed, skin pale and voice weak. Lucas held her hand as she died.

He resigned from the military with minimal chance of return to no surprise from his superior officer. Her service was a few days later, the rain gone to leave Lucas standing alone on the hill beneath the sun of a beautiful spring day. Other alchemists and coworkers showed up. Lucas spent the whole service functionally unconscious.

After two days trapped in his house and in his head Lucas tore apart the lab in their house. He screamed his voice hoarse, he shredded papers, he broke glass with his bare hands and spilled chemicals and samples onto the floor. He turned instead to the unused half of the lab, where his father’s belongings were stored. If had had been here, if hadn’t left- Lucas tore apart his belongings now, knocking over suits of armour, burning handwritten letters, snapping any pieces of electronics that were there and covered in dust. He hadn’t eaten or drank in what felt like days, Lucas crumpled to the floor and closed his eyes.

He woke up, feebly climbing the stairs to eat stale bread and drink water. Some blood dripped from a reopened cut and a thought appeared in his head. His alchemy, his life, his mother’s life, surely there was a way to bring her back. His research, her research, he could find a way. He could make a way. He smeared his blood along the bread, and bit into it. 

Lucas threw together what research he could salvage, he spent days pouring out memorized equations and results in the vain hopes of finding a way to bring light back to his world. He looked into human transmutations, the failures and the monsters. The chimeras he had helped create, combining human and animal dna. He lost weight, his hands shook as he wrote, his hair fell in greasy clumps. Tears fogged his glasses and migraines were more common than decent meals.

When he managed to order all of the components and have them in the circle, he was awash with joy and fear. Staring down the barrel of life and death wasn’t as easy as he imagined. But he didn’t falter. He felt himself start to cry, images of his mother flashing in his mind in a warm bright haze. He would bring her back. He would bring her back or die trying. He knocked a suit of armour to the floor, pushing it as best he could towards the circle. If he couldn’t make a perfectly function body, she could possess it, or any of the robotics littered long forgotten in the lab. He fell to his knees, hands pressed firm on the chalk circle. His hair flew up from the light and wind, his shoulders shook and his mind screamed but he didn’t stop. He recited the facts, the energies, the way he knew to reach through the gate. The way he tested and was able to reach through to the other side.

The soul he plucked back was warm, just like his mother. She spoke with a voice like hers, but the searing pain distracted him from anything else beside grabbing her and retreating. He could feel his ears ringing as he opened his eyes, the pile of components twitched in a grotesque flesh form definitely not human. It didn’t have her face, or her eyes, not even her voice. It throbbed, disgusting wet wheezes that echoes in the empty room. Lucas winced, and moved to push back away from the monstrosity. His hand landed in a warm wet puddle, and looking down the ringing in his ears became deafening. Blood pooled around where he sat, both of his legs gone. Not severed or broken. They vanished, leaving exposed muscle and tissue that Lucas just now realized was the source of his horrific pain. He lifted his shaking hand, one sound overcoming his ringing.

“Please… please help me- help me- please-” It was a young woman’s voice, like his mother’s but nothing like hers at the same time. She was crying, sniffles and sobs that Lucas caught emanating from a slowly blinking light bulb seated on the desk. It was twisted into a larger component that jerked and vibrated with each cry, and Lucas attempted to move towards her before he remembered his leg situation and collapsed into the pool of blood beneath him.

 

Lucas woke up, the scent of blood still clinging to every centimeter of his skin. He took a few shaky breaths, surprised to find himself still alive, despite his lost legs.

“Are ya awake?” A voice asked, a weight settling on his chest. Lucas blinked his eyes open in response, opening his mouth and moaning in pain. “Stay still, you’ve lost a lot of blood.” She sounded so genuinely concerned, it made Lucas flinch. When he could focus his eyes again he was shocked to see one of the android pieces his mother had tried to experiment with years ago, this time with other pieces thrown together onto it. The head once half completed now had the initial box set, and the light bulb smashed together. It had a piece of duct tubing fastened to the torso and a much shorter arm fashioned from wires and bars. The light bulb lit up as it spoke again.

“Hey, stay with me. I think I’ve stopped the bleedin’ for now.” The stump of a hand that settled on his chest lifted up, and Lucas leaned as best he could to see the thick pieces of fabric from the curtains torn and wrapped around what remained of his thighs.

“Get me-” He fought to get words out through his pounding head- “a- a pen. And… paper.”

“You can’t be-”

“Now!” He yelled, fighting to keep himself awake. His hands shook as he took the notepad and pen the android managed to slap down from the desk. “A-auto… mail.” He breathed, writing a name and phone number with shaking hands. He dropped the pad, pain wracking his spine for him to seize on the floor.

“Stay awake, I’ll get a technician over as quick ‘s I can-”

 

Lucas woke up next dry heaving, a hand settling on his sternum and pressing him back down. 

“Shut up and lay back Miller, before I decide to leave you legless.” A familiar voice said, and Lucas felt himself injected with some kind of soporific before everything went black again.

 

Next he woke his throat was hoarse, but he could think so he would count his blessings. “You awake?” That familiar voice asked, prompting him to open his eyes. A familiar scruffy face stared down at him, hair pulled back in bun although strands flew away with almost regularity. “Hey Miller, morning there.” Cam smiled, although instead of sly and teasing it was more gentle and genuine than Lucas had ever seen.

“Cam?”

“The one and only, rise and shine, tell me how your new legs are feeling.” He patted his chest, and on shaky arms Lucas moved to push himself into a seated position. His pants now ultimately ruined, were torn up nearly to his groin, stained with blood and shredded to show the vile connection of muscle and metal. The stumps were fused shut connected to automail recreations, although they were bare and minimal. No fancy metal flesh, just the joints and bars for bones with flat metal scraps acting as feet. He could move them though, and it was only mildly painful to do so.

“Movements good, do you think you can hold your weight?” Cam asked, one hand on the small of Lucas’ back.

“N-no, not yet…” Lucas breathed, squinting his eyes shut.

“I can- I can try and carry him-” A voice spoke, the scraping of metal on the floor making both men wince. 

“No- just- just stop.” Cam replied, “Noelle just wait- we can-”

“Noelle?” Lucas grumbled, looking over towards the voice.

“Yeah jackass, your sister.” Cam spat back, Lucas focusing his eyes to see the android from before seated on the floor. It jerked as he made eye contact, and waved the smaller lumpy hand. 

“My… my sister.” He breathed, Cam snapping his metal fingers in his face. 

“Yes, the one you musta grabbed and brought back- thank me for saving your life later. Noelle called me while you were out. You’ve been up and down for a few hours while I put you back together.”

Lucas laid his head back, and Cam lowered him back to the floor.

“Is he gonna be okay?” Noelle asked, the light bulb flashing and grabbing Lucas’ attention. 

“You and I stopped the bleeding, we’ll just see how he handles for the next few days. You- he grabbed you from the gate?” Cam pushed up from the floor and moved over the robot, and Lucas listened as they spoke.

“Yeah I- I jus’ remember wakin’ up an’-... I needed someone- I remember needin’ family. When I felt more composed I saw ‘im layin’ on the floor missin’ his legs.” She said, scraping metal as she moved on the concrete floor.

“So then Lucas attempted human transmutation.” Cam whistled, looking over at him. “You’re a fuckin’ dumbass Miller.”

Lucas whined, and Cam snapped at him in return. “I saved your fuckin’ life! You’re lucky you got her back after all, figured you woulda gone for your mom. I took care of the mess of a flesh you made by the way, I’ll be adding funeral services to my resume now.” He tapped his metal fingers against his metal knees, and looked back at Noelle. “So you really don’t remember anything?”

“N-No, I know my name. Everything else is… I can’t…” Her light bulb blinked a fast and distressing series before Cam extended a hesitant hand to her shoulder.

“Hey, you’ll be okay. Do you- I work with automail, I can probably throw together a better body for you. Something for the both of us while Miller recovers.”

 

Lucas woke up from a sleep he didn’t know he had fallen into, his joints creaking as his hand found a warm blanket draped over him. Warm sunlight drifted through a window, and as Lucas squinted he could recognize the room well enough as Cam’s workshop.

“Good morning Lucas.” A voice rang out, prompting Lucas to squint at the figure at his beside. “Here-” She spoke, moving and leaning down to him. For a few blissful seconds, he thought it was his mother. He thought she was back, that everything was a bad dream and that she never died. He slid his glasses on and looked up at the figure, a twisted emotion settling in his throat instead.

“Noelle.” Lucas breathed.

“How are you feeling?” She didn’t have lips or a mouth to speak from, but the light bulb that had once been part of her head was now in the center of a reasonably human torso, it lit up and a blue panel on her head produced a frequency line of her speech. “Cam did some of the more- well to be honest the better and helluva scarier shit.” Her laugh was nice, she sounded genuinely concerned for him. 

“I’m- alright.” Lucas pushed himself up in the bed, wincing as his legs pulled against his flesh.

“Be careful- be careful.” She cooed. “He found some free time to set me up too,” She extended two definitely more human arms, lifting one leg and knocking the side of her head. “Missin’ one more leg but he had to get some sleep.”

“It’s- it’s so nice to hear you.” He said, still dizzy with sleep. 

“Hey, you brought me back, I’m gonna be right by your side now.” The line on her face screen dipped down before back up, and she pointed to it. “See? A smile.”

Lucas huffed a laugh, and slid up his glasses to rub his eyes.

“Can you- can you tell me about myself?” She asked, hands rubbing small circles over her thumbs.

He froze. A wave of guilt flooded over him, a clawing want to tell her that he has no idea who she was. A need to tell her he made a mistake, that he doesn’t know her. But her light blinked again and she spoke.

“If it’s too much just take care ‘a yourself, I can wait. I want to make sure you’re okay.” She said, “You haven’t been takin’ very good care ‘a yourself. We’ll have to fix that.” 

He felt his chest thrum with familiarity, imaging his mother saying the same thing when he went too long without sleep. Somebody to bring light back into his life. He was always too selfish for his own good.

“Your name is Noelle,” He said, pushing back his mess of curls. “Noelle Miller. You’re my big sister.”

“You’re my little brother, eh? With how you’ve been treating yourself I can believe it.”

“One-” He chokes on his voice, “One of us got the rationality. It wasn’t me. You- you liked apple cider.” He said, pulling facts just tangentially from himself. Close but not exact. “Your favorite color was pastel teal, like sea foam green.”

Noelle nodded, looking down. “It’s weird- what not really knowin’ yourself. Anythin’ at all, I’d appreciate.”

Lucas’ rational brain tells him to just apologize. Spit out the fact that he’s lying and this woman was ripped from beyond the gate, and that she has no relation or reason to exist. That she’s just a mistake. “You were very good at puzzles-” he says instead, tears welling up in his eyes. “You always beat me in logic games and you had red hair. You- you knew all about medicines and you could handle yourself in a fight.” His brain screams again at him and he stops listening. The least he can do is give her a good personality. One he knows like the back of his hand. “Your eyesight isn’t the best, and you liked to wear half circle glasses. You made apple pies that smell like home and you and mom had the same laugh.”

“What was mom like? I take it-” Her voice died down, and Lucas nodded.

“Yeah, you died before her, it broke her heart. She died just a few months ago. She was remarkable, a gifted alchemist.”

“Did I-?”

“No, you weren’t an alchemist. Your brand of science was different from mine and moms.”

“I- I think I’m starting to get things,” She says, her line jolting up and down across her panel. “Mom was- M-”

“Maureen.” Lucas interrupts her, before she can finish her word.

“Maureen.” Noelle echoes, “Right, Maureen.” Her light blinks on and off, and she continues. “Mom. And no dad.”

“Dad left almost as soon as I was born, you weren’t very old at the time.”

“So I might never get those memories back.” She said, making Lucas nod. 

“What questions do you have?”

 

Lucas wakes up from a rest he didn’t realize he was taking, blinking his eyes open and stretching upright in his seat on the train. Memories fade from his mind, like dye in water.

“Why g’mornin’ nerlord.” Noelle teases, patting his shoulder. Her weird thick glove wakes him up the rest of the way, and he drops his head forward.

“It’s not morning is it? We should have made it back to central by morning.” Stifling a yawn he looks over at the suit of armor, and Noelle clinks her suit covering together a few times.

“No, you were only asleep for an hour. Missed the food trolley, ordered you somethin’ that should be out soon.” She taps his arm a few times, and he adjusts his glasses. “Are you sure about the whole returning to the army thing?”

“I did it before- it’ll be fine. What are you thinking about doing?”

“Options ‘re kinda limited, nothing for the military cause they’ll probably wanna do physicals. But maybe I could find a bakery or somethin’. Help out where I can.”

With every words she speaks Lucas hears his mother’s voice, and even when they’re Noelle’s words they’re Maureen’s soul.

“Jeez, squishy much?” He says, scrunching his nose.

“Not everyone can be an uptight asshole.” She snarks back, making Lucas snort a laugh.

“Rude!”

Noelle rolls her head, and Lucas can feel the eye-roll she would do if she could.

“You’re so much like mom,” Lucas says, rubbing at his nose.

“You are too,” Noelle says, “you two have the same eyes. Tired, but good. Crinkles from exhaustion that makes me want to slap you unconscious.” Noelle leans forward a bit too fast, and her armour clangs against her metal body very loudly. “Whoops.” She says sheepishly, making Lucas snort again.

“Well let’s focus on getting to Central for now. Once we find a place we should be able to make it alright.”

“We’re in it together.” Lucas can hear the smile in her voice, and he feels the dread creep up again.

“Together.” He says back. Noelle is such a wave of good, she wants to help others with little care of materialistic things or interest in dangers. Lucas is proud of his sister. He’s disgusted with what he’s done to this lost soul. What is truly Noelle, and what is personality he’s injected in her to cope with losing his mother? Who really is she, if not just a figment he’s molded and poisoned with his filthy meddling? He chooses to believe in the good, because he knows if he lets himself succumb to the truth the world will lose all its light yet again. He doesn’t deserve her, and he’s not even sure who she is despite literally making her himself. 

He smiles up at her and lays back in his seat, turning to stare out the window. His smile drops.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey there! Yeah, I ended up making another part! This is definitely it though, I don't have the spoons to make a whole series or anything. I also made an illustration for this au! It'll be the final third chapter on here if you want to read this chapter and flip over to check it out! Anyway, the final written part of this beautiful mess.

Lucretia is tapping her fingers along the top of her desk. It takes a bit of work to make her trimmed nails tap along the surface but each time she does, Lucas hunches further down in his seat.

“What have you done.” She says again, this time ready for the truth. “I mean it.”

Lucas glances around the room yet again, and looks down. “I attempted human transmutation.” He mutters.

“That is not only illegal, but immoral. How dare you think you can meddle with the laws of life and death- How dare you try to- what would your mother say.” She doesn't necessarily yell, but her voice raises, as do her shoulders.

“I-” Lucas starts, before Lucretia snatches her cane from the side of her desk and slams it on the floor.

“That was a rhetorical question Miller, you will not talk back to me.” She snaps, although her hand shakes in her lap. “Millions of people lose people important to them. What makes you special- what gave you justification in attempting to bring someone back.”

“It wasn't  _ someone- _ it was my  _ mother _ !” Lucas lashes out. Lucretia sits taller in her chair.

“And you were not the only person who loved her! You were not the first person nor will you be the last to lose a mother. To lose someone you love.” Lucretia pushes herself back into her chair, exhaling heavily through her nose. “Did you tell anyone.” 

Lucas stares into the floor.

“You are an adult and I expect you to start acting like it- Did you tell anyone.” Lucretia demands again.

“My mechanic.” He mumbles.

Lucretia feels herself bristle up, hand clenching her cane. “What does your mechanic have to-”

She's interrupted as Lucas shoves his chair back, and slams one of his shins into the metal leg of her desk. The sound is sharp and loud, Lucas doesn't even wince before immediately kicking his other leg into the metal to elicit the same harsh metal on metal screech. “He put it together himself  _ saving _ my  _ fucking _ life.” Lucas sticks his chin out as he talks, before returning to his brooding slouch in the chair.

“As you commanding officer I expect you to cut the dramatics.” Lucretia says, although her hands in her lap is pulling tight on her pants. “Who is the armor with you, you don't have a sister.”

Lucas looks away again and Lucretia wants to lean over her desk and throttle him. She follows his line of sight, a gaze leading down to the quad where Noelle is interacting with a few of Lucretia's other men. She's running around with Magnus, even though her face isn’t visible Lucretia can hear the infectious laughter between them. Merle is walking along beside them, also laughing while Taako stands off to the side, waving his arms. She forgets she even asked the question when Lucas answers. 

“I don't know who she is. Said her name was Noelle.” 

“What do you mean you don't know? She has a personality- memories-”

“I pulled her through the gate and she possessed a piece of my mother's old work. She didn't have memories.”

“Wait- oh my god-” Lucretia looks back at him, and he keeps watching Noelle.

“I'm a monster I know.” His voice wavers, “She's too good for me but I can't be alone again-” His lip quivers now and he shuts his eyes. “I can't be alone so I made myself a sister.” Tears well up in his eyes, and a lone one rolls down his cheek.

“She's a person- she was a real living person- Lucas she had a family.” Lucretia's voice is shocked more than anything. She knew he was under orders to investigate the philosopher's stone before he quit, she knows he studied with the chimeras and soul properties, as well as the gate. But hearing what he's done, it's almost unbelievable.

“What am I supposed to do? She was scared, she was alone, she didn't know who she was. I couldn't tell her she was a mistake.”

“So you lied to her? Filled her head with false memories?”

“She fits right in, she’s a wonderful fit and a fantastic sister-”

“And how do you know that she was actually like that?” That shuts Lucas up right quick. “What's her? Who is she?” Lucretia looks back out the window and lets silence fall over the room.

 

Noelle claps her hands together, her laughs loud and happy as they echo through her armor. “I can lift you, I can do it Magnus!” She puts her hands on her hips, “‘sides you look like you'd make a wonderful ballerina.”

“I think he'd shred any pair of tights by just looking at them.” Taako says, rubbing the side of his nose.

“My muscles are too big!” Magnus cheers, flexing although his uniform doesn't quite shred to bits around him like he wishes it would.

“Alright, fine.” Noelle replies, “Still think I could though.” 

“You fuckin’ shredded under that armor or what?” Taako calls as he walks closer. “You're around our age aren't you?”

Noelle pauses, and presses a gloved finger to her helmet. “Oh, I think I'm 23? Lucas is 22 so-” 

“Wait, when's your birthday?” Merle asks, arms folded after he unbuttons his jacket.

“December 3rd!” She says, “The year just gets fuzzy sometimes.”

“I get memory issues too,” Taako waves his hand, “Don't worry sister.”

“So are you ripped? Can you take off your armor so we can compare muscles?” Magnus asks, back to dramatic poses. Noelle laughs as Merle gags with more melodrama than necessary. 

“No, I like t’ wear the armor. Makes me feel safe.” She pats her glove against the breastplate and gives a thumbs up.

“Doesn't it get loud? All that clanging around? Or shit-  _ heavy _ ?” Merle walks up, knocking his knuckles also on the breastplate (No for comfort, he has to reach up to hit it). 

“Oh- No I'm pretty hearty. Not defined- but more like'a heavy lifter build.” Noelle tilts her head, she hopes the smile comes across in her voice since she can’t exactly show her screen. 

“Big and strong, why don't you join us too?” Magnus takes her side and slings an arm over her shoulder.

“Lucas talk to y'all about comin’ back?”

“No, but you just told us.” Taako says with a rolling hand gesture.”

Noelle blows a raspberry and sighs. “No, military work ain't exactly my thing.”

“You're a great fighter!”

“If you're a Miller you must be great at Alchemy too.” Taako spins on his heel, and starts walking back into the building. “Not as great as me of course-”

“Of  _ course-”  _ Everyone present moans.

“I mean, I don't think I'm too good at Alchemy? Haven't really tried it.”

“How do you know if you haven't tried it?” Merle walks after Taako, and starts fighting to re-button his jacket.

Noelle pauses as she thinks around her knee jerk response of  _ Lucas said I wasn't good before I died. _ “Don't remember ever havin’ a knack for it quite like Lucas.” 

“Ugh like he's the figure to be related to somebody like you, much less a role model.” Taako whines, waving Magnus and Noelle back inside. Noelle laughs nervously, but Magnus drops his arm and jerks his thumb toward the building. 

“He's, not the best but you gotta know that.” 

Noelle nods, and follows after him. “He's admitted it, but I don't see him do bad stuff all that often.” 

“I hear he worked on human life alchemy and animal experiments.” Merle says, before Taako gives him and indignant kick in the shin. “What! It's true!”

“Oh- no, he doesn't like to talk about his time in the military.” Noelle replies. “It was a rough time, our mother was sick and I was out of Central.” 

“Right, Maureen. I'm sorry for your loss.” Magnus says, giving a sad smile.

“Thank you,” Noelle says. “Did you guys know her?” 

They pass through the hallway towards the stairs before Merle answers. 

“Think everyone knew ‘er. Amazing alchemist, but worked to death. On call for the big head honchos.” Merle takes the lead and pushes the door open, letting everyone start up the stairs. 

“Yeah. She was incredible.” Noelle says quietly, “Anyway, you guys know your director ‘s ready?” Noelle takes the back of the group up the stairs, she's not exactly fast or quiet.

“No, but we can always eavesdrop.” Magnus says, getting nods in response from his allies.

“Eavesdropping is always good,” Taako muses, reaching the door for the fourth floor and waiting for someone else to open it.

“Here,” Noelle definitely isn’t the quietest but she clunks her way up to grab the door. As she pulls it open the three men filter through and reach the door to Lucretia’s open office area. The door is open, and Merle leads the four of them inside. 

“Hey Lucy!” Merle calls, seemingly interrupting a rather heated discussion between Lucretia and Lucas.

“Merle I told you you can’t keep calling me that.” She sighs, although she doesn’t necessarily seem mad. Lucas sinks down in his chair, and Noelle walks over to sit beside him.

 

“You make up your mind about serving again?” She asks quietly. Magnus, Merle, and Taako seem content to harass their commanding officer and not pay attention to the siblings. Lucretia moves to her feet and walks on her cane over to her men.

“Yeah,” Lucas breathes, “We don’t have a lot of cash left and Lucretia agreed to hire me back as her subordinate. Not in mom’s old job. Less stressful.” He looks over at her giving a thin lipped smile. ”What about you? Make up your mind?”

“Still not sure, the three seem sure I should work here too, as impossible as that is.” Noelle gives one shoulder a shrug and tilts her head. “I wish I kinda could- help around here and help people in the field.”

“You’re interested in public service?”

“Well, yeah I guess…?” Noelle interlocks her gloved fingers, “I dunno, it just feels nice to- to interact with people. I know you’re a real homebody all tangled up in your brain but…” She taps her fingers on her knuckles. “It feels, familiar. To- to interact with people. Say hellos and have a routine with more than just two people.”

She sees Lucas adjust himself in his seat, he runs a thumb over his lower lip and looks away. 

“How are your legs feeling? Cam’s not just your friend anymore now he’s responsible for your mobility.” She offers, seeing him bouncing his legs.

“No, my legs are fine.” Lucas mumbles. “I’m fine.” He stands up, and turns towards the door. “Come on, let’s find a place to stay.”

“Hey-” She pushes herself up, and reaches out for Lucas’ arm. He jerks away and heads for the door. 

“Come on-” He repeats again, although his voice is weaker. Noelle watches him disappear out the door, and stares for a few moments before she turns to the remaining officers.

“I- I guess we’ll see y’all around.”

Magnus, Merle, and Taako seem to roll their eyes at Lucas’ theatrics and that’s a little calming. When Noelle meets eyes with Lucretia though, the woman doesn’t stop staring at her. She watches Noelle like a parent watches a sick child, or a pet owner watches an old animal. It- doesn’t feel right. Something about her gaze lights up a fire in Noelle, and she squares her shoulders. Something’s happened. She’s confused and bitter and just a little bit angry. Something’s happened between Lucretia and Lucas, and she doesn’t know  _ what _ because Lucas won’t talk to her. 

Noelle decides she doesn’t like Lucretia. But something else wriggles around in her soul, she feels her core flash and dim with a sense of unease that she bats away as she trundles out the door. Something’s not right. But what?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And click on over to the next chapter if you're interested in seeing my illustration!


	3. Chapter 3

Sometimes before it gets better, the darkness gets bigger. The person you'd take a bullet for is the one pulling the trigger. 

 

_Art by M Tyson, visit https://mtyson21.wixsite.com/mtt86 to learn more!_

[Image description: A dramatic -45 degree tilted black and white drawing of Lucas Miller and Noelle Redcheek. Lucas is the upper half of the image, a bandage on his head and one hand gripping his chest. He is wearing a t-shirt and a labcoat. He has a gun pointed down at Noelle. Noelle is facing towards Lucas and away from the viewer. She is a human on the left, the edges of her hair and shirt alight in flames. On the right is a android Noelle, crumbling and already having taken extensive damage.]

**Author's Note:**

> So yeah that's that! I had a few more ideas but unless there's an audience I'm happy just leaving this here. I thought it'd be an interesting character study on Lucas and taking the healthy sibling dynamic of the Elrics and making it a little less healthy. Definitely more interesting though


End file.
